December 27, 2010

Slow cooker Tamale Pie

This is a recipe that my family and I really like. It is pretty easy to put together, and it tastes great!

Slow cooker Tamale Pie

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes with mild green chili's, undrained

1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce

2 green onions, chopped

1 c. shredded cheddar or Mexican style cheese

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Corn bread/muffin mix + ingredients to make it.

Combine the cooked ground beef with cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper. Place in the bottom of a 4-5 qt. crock pot. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, enchilada sauce,and onions.Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until heated through.In a small bowl, combine the muffin mix and required ingredients. Spoon over meat mixture, cover and cook 1 additional hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Sprinkle with cheese, cover and let stand about 5 minutes.Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.

I have made this several times, but I use my recipe for cornbread in stead of the package mix.

Some helpful tips:
Whenever I buy fresh ground beef I cook up 2-3 lbs. with a diced onion and S&P. I then bag each pound separately in freezer bags, and freeze them. You can put the frozen, cooked beef back into a skillet, add about 1/4 c. of water and reheat quickly, or simply heat in the microwave.

I have also emitted the ground beef altogether and used red beans, kidney beans and black beans instead. I actually prefer this version, but my family likes the original one best.